Generalized gradients on Lie algebroids (Q376344)

Let \(\mathcal{A}\) be a Lie algebroid over a smooth manifold \(M\) with locally trivial underlying vector bundle \(A\) of constant rank \(n\). Fix an \(A\)-connection \(\nabla: \Gamma(A) \to \Gamma(\mathcal{D}(A))\) in the vector bundle \(A\) (\(\mathcal{D}(E)\) denotes the transitive Lie algebroid of derivations on a vector bundle \(E\)), and denote also by \(\nabla: \Gamma(A^{*\otimes \, \bullet}) \to \Gamma(A^{*\otimes \,\bullet+1})\) the associated differential operator. The orthogonal group \(\mathcal{O}(n)\) acts in a natural way on \(A\) (as the fibres are Euclidean \(n\)-spaces) and this action is extended to \(A^{*\otimes}\). Decompose \(A^{*\otimes k}\) into a direct sum of irreducible invariant subbundles: \(A^{*\otimes k}=\bigoplus_{\alpha}V_{\alpha}\) with natural injections \(j_{\alpha}: V_{\alpha} \to A^{*\otimes k}\). For any \(\alpha\) split the bundle \(A^*\otimes V_{\alpha} =\bigoplus_{\beta}W_{\beta}\) into direct sum of irreducible invariant subbundles with canonical projections \(\pi_{\beta}: A^* \otimes V_{\alpha} \to W_{\beta}\). The authors call the \textit{generalized gradient} or a \textit{Stein-Weiss operator} the following first order differential operator: \[ \nabla^{\alpha \beta} := \pi_{\beta} \circ \nabla \circ j_{\alpha}: \Gamma(V_{\alpha}) \to \Gamma(W_{\beta}). \] The first result of the paper says that \[ \nabla^{\alpha \beta} = \pi_{\beta} \circ \Big( \sum_{i=1}^n a_i^*\otimes \nabla_{a_i} \Big) j_{\alpha}, \] for any dual local frames \((a_1, \cdots, a_n)\) of \(A\) and \((a_1^*,\cdots, a_n^*)\) of \(A^*\). In the second result the module \(\Gamma(A^*\otimes \bigwedge^k A^*)\) is shown to have a splitting onto direct (in fact orthogonal) sum of \(\mathcal{O}(n)\)-invariant subspaces: \[ \Gamma(A^*\otimes \bigwedge ^k A^*)= \text{Im}(\pi_1^a) \oplus \text{Im}(\pi_2^a) \oplus \text{Im}(\pi_3^a), \] where \(\pi_1^a=\text{Alt}\) is the alternating operator, \(\pi_3^a= \frac{1}{n-k+1}cotr^a \circ tr^a\) and \(\pi_2^a=id-\pi_1^a-\pi_3^a\), where \(tr^a: \Gamma(A^*\otimes \bigwedge ^k A^*) \to \Gamma(\bigwedge ^{k-1} A^*)\) is the trace operator defined using a local orthonormal frame of \(A\), while \(cotr^a: \Gamma(\bigwedge ^{k-1} A^*) \to \Gamma(A^*\otimes \bigwedge ^k A^*)\) is the cotrace operator defined using a Riemannian metric in \(A\). The Stein-Weiss type operator are then \(P_i= \pi_i^a \circ \nabla:\Gamma(\bigwedge ^{k} A^*) \to \Gamma(A^*\otimes \bigwedge^k A^*)\), \(i=1,2,3\), and one have that \(\nabla=P_1 + P_2 + P_3\). The authors also prove a formula (\textit{Weitzenböck Formula}) concerning a decomposition of the \textit{Laplace operator} on differential forms on \(A\) which is defined by \(\Delta^a:= d^{a*}d^a + d^ad^{a*}\) (here \(d^{a*}\) is the exterior coderivative and \(d^a\) is an operator defined using the exterior derivative). The last section of the paper is devoted to prove analogous results for the gradient on the symmetric forms.